Locator controlled crimping tool



NOV. 13, 1962 G. U5T|N LOCATOR CONTROLLED CRIMPING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 29, 1959 INVENTOR.

GEO/265 UST/Al ATTORNEY Nov. 13, 1962 G. UsTlN LOCATOR coNTRoLLEDCRIMPING Tool.

Filed Sept. 29, 1959 United States Patent O "ice LOCATOR CONTRGLLEDCRIMPING TOUL George Ustin, Verona, NJ., assignor to Buchanan ElectricalProducts Corporation, Hillside, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey FiledSept. 29, 1959, Ser. No. 843,253 Claims. (Cl. 81-15) This inventionrelates to crimping tools and particularly to an improved constructon'for crimping tools adapted for symmetrical controlled crimping ofelectrical contacts, terminals and similar electrical assemblies.

Crimping tools of the ygeneral type herein of concern which incorporatea bored dieholder rigidly -mounted in a carrier member, a plurality ofradially disposed crimping dies reciprocably mounted therein and anassociated operating member having a cammed die member actuating surfacemounted for rotative displacement relative to the dieholder and carriermember are disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 772,878,iiled November l0, 1958, now United States Patent No. 2,991,675.

In crimping tools of the type herein of concern it is highly desirableto provide for accommodation and proper positioning of various sizes andtypes of Work pieces and ready adjustment of crimp depth withinpredetermined limits together with an associated full cycling mechanismto insure that, once a crimping operation has been initiated upon a workpiece, a full operating cycle must be completed before initiation of asucceeding operation. The crimping tool structures disclosed in theabove identified application provide for the proper positioning ofvarious sizes of work pieces by utilization of replaceable locatorassemblies associated with the work piece receiving bore in thedieholder and provide for adjustment of crimp depth and concomitantcontrol of the full cycling mechanism by means of a pawl and ratchetassembly triggered by an adjustable stud or set screw assembly mountedat the ends of the carrier and operating members disposed remote fromthe dieholder. Although the structure taught and disclosed in the abovementioned copending application represents substantial improvements overthe art, it is not such as to completely preclude an individual operatoror unauthorized personnel from tampering therewith, albeit with somedifficulty, as by deterimental or deleterious adjustment of the stud orset screw assembly controlling the crimp depth through control of thefull cycling mechanism.

This invention may be briefly described as an improved construction forcrimping tools of the general type indicated above. In general, theinvention includes provision of novel structure in which selectiveutilization of a locator member automatically insures, in addition toproper positioning of a work piece, control of crimp depth andconcomitant control of the full cycling mechanism. The invention alsoincludes an improved construction for a locator member to permit controlof the crimp depth and the full cycling mechanism thereby.

Among the advantages attendant the hereinafter described invention isthe provision of an entirely self-contained crimping tool unit in whichselective utilization of 011e of a series of locator members, inaccordance with the dictates of a particular work piece, automaticallyinsures proper work piece positioning as well as proper crimp depth andnecessary control of the full cycling mechanism to insure the completionof operations upon one work piece before the initiation of operationsupon a subsequent workpiece. Another advantage attendant the instantconstruction is the complete removal of the possibility of undesiredand/or detrimental tool adjustment by the operator thereof or byunauthorized personnel. Further advantages of the herein describedinvention include the 3,663,313 Patented Nov. 13., 1962 provision ofextremely uniform crimping operations upon each workpiece and consequentuniformity of finished product as well as the ready adaptation of thebasic tool to varied types of crimping operations upon many varyingtypes of Iwork pieces, the latter only requiring the selectiveutilization of a particular locator member which may be readily designedand fabricated in accordance with the dictates of the particularworkpiece upon which a particular crimping operation is desired to beeffected.

Still another advantage of the herein described invention is theprovision of a control locator construction that may be simply andinexpensively designed and fabricated in accordance with the dictates ofa particular workpiece upon which a particular crimping operation isdesired to be effected.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improvedconstruction for crimping tools.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improvedcrimping tool in which selective utilization of a locator, in accordancewith the dictates of a workpiece, automatically insures proper workpiecepositioning, control of crimp depth and control of a full cyclingmechanism to assure completion of any initiated operation be` foreinitiation of a subsequent operation.

Another object of this inventon is the provision of an' improvedcrimping tool so constructed as to preclude undesired adjustment thereofby an operator or unauthorized personnel.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of an improvedconstruction for crimping tools that may be readily adapted for varyingtypes of crimping operations upon many varying types of workpiecesthrough selective utilization -of a particular locator member which vmaybe readily and inexpensively designed and fabricated in accordance withthe dictates of a particular workpiece upon which a particular crimpingoperation is desired to be effected.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improvedconstruction for a locator member to permit control of the crimp ydepthand a full cycling mechanism thereby in `addition to properlypositioning a workpiece for the desired crimping operations.

rI'he above and objects and advantages of the invention will appear fromthe following specification and claims and from the appended drawingswhich illustrateV the principles of the invention and a presentlypreferred em-I bodiment of a crimping tool construction incorporatingthose principles.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE l is a plan view of a presently preferred construction for acrimping tool incorporating the principles of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the tool illustrated inFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE l; v

FIGURE 4 is a partial plan view, partly in section, to illustrate thepositioning of certain of the elements of the illustrated tool, at theinitiation of a crimping operation; FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of apresently preferred construction of a locator member;

FIGURE 6 is a bottom view o-f the locator member illustrated in FIGURE5;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7` of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of a presently preferredconstruction of a crimping die;

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the crimping die illustrated in FIGURE 8.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FTIG- UR-ES l through 4,there is shown, by way of illustrative example, a manually operablecrimping tool which includes a generally disc-shaped dieholder orplunger body rigidly secured, as by bolts 12 and nuts 14, to thegenerally circularly shaped side portions 16, 18 of a generally channelor U-shaped carrier member 20. As best shown in FIGURE 3, the dieholder10 is provided with a conically shaped workpiece entry aperture 22inwardly terminating in an axially disposed work piece receiving bore 26as defined -by an inwardly directed annular shoulder 24. Disposedcoaxially with and adjacent to the workpiece receiving bore 26 in thedieholder 10 is an enlarged locator member receiving bore 28. Theabutting side portion 18 of the carrier member 20 is provided with anenlarged circular workpiece entry aperture 30 disposed in coaxialalignment with the workpiece receiving bore 26. The other side portion16 of the carrier member 20 is provided with an enlarged locatorreceiving and positioning aperture 32 disposed in coaxial alignment withthe axis of the locator receiving and positioning bore 28 in thedieholder 18. As will be explained later in more detail, the locatorreceiving and positioning aperture 32 in the side portion 16 is providedwith a chordal fiat portion 34 in order to automatically assure properpositioning of a complementally shaped locator member introduceabletherein. The dieholder 10 is also provided with a plurality(specifically four in the illustrated embodiment) of radially disposeddie member receiving bores 36 each having a crimping die or plungermember, generally designated 38, reciprocably mounted therein.

The detailed construction of one of the die members 38 is illustrated inFIGURES 8 and 9 and, as there shown, each of said die members 38includes an elongate cylindrically shaped body portion 40 sized to bereciprocably contained within said bores 36. The body portion 48 isprovided -with an enlarged head portion 42 at one end thereof whichincorporates an exposed cam surface 44. The dependent end of the bodyportion 40 of the die members 38 includes an inwardly directed pair ofaligned shoulders 46 disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ofthe body portion 40 and defining a straight sided and generallyrectangular dependent tip portion 48 that terminates in a crimping tooth50. As will be explained in more detail later, the shoulders 46cooperate to limit and thereby control the amount of die member advance.

As illustrated, a die or plunger member 38 of the type describedimmediately above is mounted in each of the radially disposed die memberreceiving bores 36 and is biased radially outwardly by a suitablebiasing spring 52 disposed within the enlarged peripheral recesses 54 inthe dieholder body 1t) and surrounding the body portion 40 beneath thehead portion 42 thereof. Surrounding the dieholder 10 and die members 38mounted therein, and rotatably displaceable relative thereto, is thegenerally annularly shaped cam surface containing portion 56 of anoperating member, generally designated 58. As illustrated, the camsurface containing portion 56 of the operating member 58 is providedwith a plurality of cam surfaces 60 engaging the outwardly biased camsurfaced head portions 42 of the individual die members 38. The camsurfaces 60 of the operating member 58 and the cam surfaced headportions 42 of the die members 38 are so designed and arranged thatrotative displacement of the operating member 58 relative to the carriermember 20 and dieholder 1t) rigidly mounted therein results, for onedirection of rotation, in a simultaneous inward displacement of theindividual die members 38, against the action of the individual biasingsprings 52, and convergence of the dependent crimping teeth thereoftoward the longitudinal axis of the bores 26 and 28 and, for the otherdirection of rotation, in a permitted outward displacement of the diemembers 38 by the biasing springs 52.

As mentioned above, the dieholder or plunger body 10 is provided with anenlarged bore 28 sized to receive and contain a locator member generallydesignated 68 in FIGURE 3. The structure of the locator member 68 isillustrated in more detail in FIGURES 5-7. As there shown, the preferredconstruction thereof includes an elongate cylindrically shaped bodyportion 70 having an axially disposed bore 72. The body portion 70terminates in an outwardly extending peripheral flange 74 preferablyhaving a beveled edge. The iiange 74 is of generally circularconfiguration sized to be contained Within the receiving aperture 32 inthe side plate 16 and is provided with a complemental chordalpositioning flat 76 disposed at a predetermined portion of the peripherythereof sized to abut the aforementioned chordal tiat 34 forming aportion of the entry aperture 32. Disposed immediately beneath theextending flange 74 is a control surface in the form of an undercutcircular recess 78. The lower shoulder 80 of the recess 78 serves todefine a lower body portion, generally designated 82 in FIGURE 7. Thelower body portion 82 is externally shaped to provide a series ofparticularly located arcuate surfaces 84 and plane stop surfaces 86,respectively (see FIGURE 6) and is internally shaped to provide anenlarged bore 88 disposed coaxially with the bore 72. '.As best shown inFIGURE 6, the lower body portion 82 is provided with a plurality ofcutout generally rectangular portions or passages (four in thespecifically illustrated embodiment) intersecting the plane stopsurfaces 86 to provide four uniformly positioned and spaced dependentleg portions 92. vEach of the passages 90 is sized and positioned toreceive and pass the tooth 50 and adjacent tip portion 48 of a diemember 38 and to limit the converging advance thereof when the shoulders46 of said die member 38 engage the flattened plane stop surfaces 86disposed on either side of and defining the entry portion of each ofsaid apertures 90.

As will be apparent to those skilled in this art, the radial distancebetween the longitudinal axis of the bore 28 and the stop surfaces 86will, for a given set of die members 38, control the amount of advanceof the crimping teeth 50. It will also be apparent to those skilled inthis art that the bores 88 and 72 may readily be sized and shaped toaccommodate and properly position a workpiece of almost anyconfiguration and that a particular locator member 68 may be fabricatedto receive and properly position a given workpiece and to control,within extremely close tolerances, the depth of crimps made therein.

As best shown in FIGURE 3, the lower body portion 82 of a controllocator member 68 is adapted to be introduced into the locator receivingbore 28 of the dieholder 10. Proper positioning of the locator member 68and specifically the proper positioning of the passages 90 thereinrelative to the path of advance of the die members 38 is automaticallyattained by the disposition of the chordal positioning fiat 76 thereonin abutting relation with the complemental chordal fiat 34 `forming partof the locator entry aperture 32 in the side portion 16 of the carriermember Ztl. The depth of locator insertion is controlled by dispositionof the dependent ends of the locator leg portions 92 in abuttingengagement with the inner surface of the shoulder 24 defining theterminus of the locator receiving bore 28.

Positional maintenance of a locator member 68 in the locator receivinglbore 28 after insertion thereof is facilitated by an auxiliary locatormember retainer assembly mounted on the surface of the side portion 16of the carrier member 20. As best shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, theauxiliary retainer assembly includes a forked manually displaceableslide member 96 disposed beneath a bridging retainer 98, The bridgingretainer 98 is com veniently secured to the surface of the side portion16 of the carrier member 20 by a pair of the nuts 12 and bolts 14 thatare utilized to secure the dieholder `10 thereto. The displacement offorked slide 96 is guided and limited by means of a bolt 100 mountedthereon having its shaft disposed in a slot 102 in the bridging retainer98. Preferably the side portion 16 is apertured, as at 106, beneath thebolt 100 to` facilitate assembly. As illustrated, the forked end 104 of.the slide 96 is shaped to engage and partially encircle the bodyportion 70 of the locator member 68 and to overlie the extending flange74 thereof. The retainer -assembly is preferably arranged so that theslide 96 may only be advanced when a locator member is properlypositioned.

By the above described structure, complete entry and automaticpositioning of a locator member 68 can onlyl be effected when thechordal flat 76 on the locator 68 is disposed in abutting relation withthe complemental chorda-l at 34 forming part of the locator entryaperture 32 in the side portion 16. With the chordal flats 76 and 34 soaligned, the lower body portion S2 of the locator 68 will be properlypositioned within the bore 28 with the base of the dependent legportions 92 disposed in abutting engaged relationship with the innersurface of the bore defining shoulder 24. With a locator member 68 sopositioned, the slide 96 is manually advanced into overlying engagementwith the fla-nge 74 and into partially encircling engagement with thebody portion 78 of the inserted locator member 68. When so engaged, thelocator member 68 will be firmly fixed in proper position with thepassages 90 therein properly disposed in the path of the radial advanceof the crimping dies 38. Subsequent rotation of the cam surfacecontaining portion 56 of the operating member 58 relative to thedieholder rigidly secured to the carrier member 20, will result in apositive advance of the crimping dies 38, by action of the cam surfaces6ft on the cam surfaced heads 42 thereof, inwardly towards the axis ofthe bores 26 and 28 with the dependent tip portions 48 and terminalcrimping teeth 5t) thereof passing through the passages 90 in thelocator member 68. Suchadvance will continue until the engagement of theshoulders 46 on the individual die members 38 with the plane stopsurfaces 86 on the lower body portion 82 of the locator member 68 causesa cessation of crimping die member advance.

As best shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 4, the operating member 58 isprovided, as is conventional with manually operable crimping tools ofthis general type, with an extending handle portion 116- having anintegral reinforcing rib l118 which merges with the cam surfacecontaining portion 56 thereof. The carrier member 20 is a-lso providedwith an extending handle portion 120 of a generally U-shapedconfiguration having the side portions thereof joined by a `transverseweb 122 (see FIGURE 2). It will be readily understood .that relativemovement between the handles 116 and 120 toward one another will effecta rotative displacement of the cam containing surface portion 56 of theoperating member 58 relative to the dieholder 10 and carrier member 20secured thereto and, as described earlier, concomitant advance of thedie members 38 toward the axis of the bores 26 and 28. Likewise,relative movement of the handles 1'16 and 120 away from each otherpermits displacement of the die members 38 away from the `axis of thebores 26 and 28 by the action of the die member biasing springs 52.

lf desired, and as illustrated in FIGURE l, the handle portion-s 116 and120 of the operating and carrier members, respectively, may be providedwith resilient hand grips 124, which may be made of insulating material.In addition, the handle portion 1120 of the carrier member may beconveniently utilized to store a plurality of varying sizes of locatormembers, as indicated by the dotted lines 126.

The illustrated locator `structure also provides the necessary controlof a yfull cycling mechanism to insure completion of the operations uponone workpiece before initiation of operations upon a subsequentworkpiece. The disclosed structure effects this desired result byinsuring that once a crimping stroke is initiated, a fullcrimpingstroke, as determined by the engagement of the shoulders 46 ofthe crimping dies 38 with the stop surfaces 86 on the locator 68, mustbe performed. To this end there is provided a curved rack 130, pivotallymounted on the reinforcing rib 118 of the operating member 58 as by arack pin 132. The rack 130 is substantially U-shaped in cross-section,having a base 134 (see FIGURE 3) and a pair of upturned flanges 136 on`each side thereof. The upper surfaces of the flanges 136 are suitablynotched, as at 138, to provide a ratchet connection with an loverlyingpawl 140 fonning a part of an associated pawl assembly. The dependentends of the flanges 136 are provided with upstanding tangs 142 to limitthe separation of the handle members 116, l and also to reset the pawl140 and associated pawl assembly, upon completion of a full cycle ofoperation as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The illustrated pawl assembly includes the above mentioned pawl 149mounted intermediate a pair of side plates 144. The side plates 144 arepivotally mounted on a roller pin 146 which is terminally supported bythe side portions of the U-shaped handle 120 of the carrier member 20.As illustrated, the base 134 of the curved rack 1:36 rides on the rollerpin 146 and is guided thereby during its hereinafter described movement.The pawl assembly also includes an auxiliary tripping pin 148 alsomounted intermediate the side plates 1414 beneath the rack 131i andwhich cooperates with the pawl 140 in maintaining the side plates 144 inuniform spaced relation externally adjacent the upstanding flanges 136forming the rack 136. The pawl assembly and pawl 141i/ are normallybiased by a spring member 150 in a counter-clockwise direction (asviewed in FIGURES 2 and 4) to maintain the pawl 148 in contact with thenotched flanges 136 to permit inward movement of the handles 116 and 128and to prevent their outward movement. The spring member 150 has one endconnected to the tripping pin 148 of the side plates 144 and the otherend thereof connected to the side wall 18 of the handle 120.

The illustrated trigger assembly includes a trigger plate member 154pivotally mounted on a pin 156 terminally supported by the side portionsof the extending handle 128 of the carrier member 20. The trigger platemember 154 is provided with an extension 158 sized to engage thetripping pin 148 of the heretofore described pawl assembly uponcounter-clockwise rotative displacement of the trigger plate member 154about the pin 156. The trigger assembly is normally biased in aclockwise direction (as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 4) by the weight of theextension 158 and is provided with a stop lug 151 engageable with thecam containing surface portion 56 of the operating member 58 to preventover-displacement thereof upon tool inversion.

FIGURE 4 generally illustrates the positioning of the above describedelements prior to the initiation of a. crimping stroke. With the partsso positioned, displacement of the handle 116 in the direction indicatedby the arrow 11611 will result in advance of the rack on the roller pin146 in the direction indicated by the arrow v 13th: relative to the pawl140. As the rack 130 so advances, the pawl 140 will ride on the notchedsurface thereof due to the counter-clockwise biasing effect of thespring on the pivotally mounted pawl assembly and any movement in theopposite direction will be precluded by the engagement of the pawl 140with the nearest notch 138 previously displaced therepast. As the rack130 so advances the tanged end thereof will engage and bend the leafspring member 168 mounted on the handle 120 as by a bracket 162. Rackadvance and deformation of the spring 160 will continue until the pawl140 is disengaged from the notched surface of the rack flanges 138.Disengagement of the pawl 140 from the rack 130 is effected by aclockwise rotational displacement of the pawl assembly about the rollerpin 146. The necessary clockwise displacement of the pawl assembly iseffected by a counterclockwise rotational displacement of the triggerassembly about the pin 156 which causes the extension 158 of the triggerplate 154 to engage the tripping pin 148 and displace the same. I willnow turn to the mechanism for effecting the necessary counter-clockwiserotational displacement of the trigger assembly after a predeterminedlength of crimping stroke has been effected.

Associated with the above described pawl and trigger assemblies is anactuating member or trigger that is selectively, automatically andproperly positioned by the locator member 68 so as to effect thenecessary counterclockwise actuation of the trigger assembly andconsequent rack release only upon cessation of die member advance. Tothis end there is provided a displaceable slide member 170 mounted onthe handle 116 of the operating member 58. The slide 170 is providedwith a dependent skirt 172 suitably slotted as at 174 to permitdisplacement thereof longitudinally of the handle 116 relative to thepin 132. Mounted on the skirt 172 so as to be disposed radially of theaxis of the bores 26 and 23 in the dieholder 10 is an extending link1'76 sized to' be disposed in abutting relation with the surface of thelocator member 68 by disposition of the end thereof within the controlrecess 78. The link member 176 is maintained in abutting relationshipwith the surface of the: locator 68 by a biasing spring 178 mountedbeneath the slide 17). The dependent edge portion of the skirt 172i iscontoured as at 186 to provide an actuating cam surface engageable withthe trigger pin 152 forming a part of the trigger assembly. As isapparent from the above description, the effective radius of the path oftravel of the cam surface 180 is controlled by the spacing of the end ofthe link member 176 from the axis of the bores 26 and 28 in thedieholder 10, with such spacing being in turn controlled by theeffective diameter of the engaged portion of the locator member 68. Forany given locator, however, the slide 17@ and the cam surface 180 on theskirt portion 172 thereof will be fixedly positioned relative to thetrigger pin 152.

As shown in FIGURES 4 and 2 the displacement of the handle 116 in thedirection indicated by the arrow 116a also causes the cam surface 180 onthe skirt 172 to be advanced, in a generally arcuate path, towards andinto engagement with the trigger pin 152. A slight further advance ofthe cam surface 180 displaces the trigger pin 152 and effects acounter-clockwise rotation of the trigger plate 154 about the pivot pin156, engagement of the tripping pin 148 by the trigger plate extension158, and rotative clockwise displacement of the pawl assembly andconsequent disengagement of the pawl 140 from the notched rack 130. Uponpawl disengagement as described above, the spring member 166 throws therack 130 backwardly along its previous path of advance with a consequentseparation of the handles 116 and 120 thereby assisting the crimping diesprings 52 in effecting such handle separation. When the tangs 142engage the pawl 140 on the return movement, they displace the pawlassembly in a counter-clockwise direction about the pin 146 and therebyreset the pawl assembly for pawl engagement with the notched rack duringthe next cycle of operation.

As will be apparent to those skilled in this art, the timing of the pawlrelease by the above described structure may be controlled by thespacing of the end of the link member 176 from the axis of the bore 28and that in the specifically described embodiment such is effected bythe location of the base 182 of the control recess 78 in the locatormember (see FIGURES and 7) relative to the bore axis. It is thusapparent that a given locator member may also -be readily designed tocontrol the full cycling mechanism as well as assure proper positioningand control of crimp depth for a given workpiece and the particularoperation to be performed thereon.

lt will be equally apparent to tthose skilled in this art that the abovedescribed structure readily permits utilization of a single crimpingtool to perform any number of varying operations upon any number ofvarying workpieces, requiring only the selective utilization of acontrol locator designed to accommodate a particular workpiece and tocontrol the depth of crimp to be made thereon.

By way of further explanation, a full operational cycle will bedescribed. In order to set the tool up for opera- .tions upon aparticular workpiece, the operator selects a control locator member thathas previously been designed and fabricated in accordance with theworkpiece dimensions and crimping operation to be performed thereon.Such a locator will have the bores 88 and 72 4thereof sized andcontoured to accommodate and properly position the workpiece, thespacing intermediate the stop surfaces 36 and the longitudinal axis ofthe bores set in accordance with the desired depth of crimp to beeffected and the spacing between the base i182 of the control recess 78and the bores set to control the full cycling mechanism and effect the`disengagement of the pawl 146 from the notched rack `138 when thenecessary degree of handle displacement to effect the desired crimpdepth is reached.

After selection of the proper control locator, the slide member 96 isretracted to expose the locator receiving aperture 32 in the sideportion 16 of the carrier member 26 and the slide 170 is displacedagainst the action of the biasing spring 178 to retract the end of thelink member 176 from overlying relation with the bore 28. With the aboveparts so positioned, the lower body portion 82 of the selected controllocator 68 is inserted into the locator receiving bore 28 and properlypositioned by disposition of the chordal fiat 76 in abutting relationwith the chordal flat 34 and by disposition of the base of the legportions 92 thereof in abutting relationship with the shoulder 24. Withthe control locator 68 properly so positioned the slide 170 is releasedand the biasing spring 178 moves the end of the link 176 into abuttingengaged relationship with the base surface 182 of the control recess 78to set the subsequent path of travel of the cam surface 188 on the skirt172 of the slide 170.

The locator retainer slide member 96 is then displaced so as to placethe forked end 104 thereof in encircling engagement with the bodyportion 70` of the control locator 68 and in overlying relation with theflange 74 thereof. The workpiece is then introduced through theworkpiece receiving bore 26 and properly positioned within the controllocator bores 72 and 88.

Displacement of the handle 116 of the operating member 58 toward thehandle I120 of the carrier member 20 results in rotative displacement ofthe cam surface containing portion 56 of the operating member 58relative to the dieholder 1) and in concomitant simultaneous alvance ofthe die members 38 in converging relation toward the axis of the bores26 and 28. Concurrently therewith, the notched rack 130 is advanced in adirection indicated by the arrow 130:1 in FIGURE 4 relative to the pawlmember 140 and the actuating cam surface 180 on the skirt 172 approachesthe trigger pin 152 in generally arcuate path. As explained earlier, theheretofore described full cycling mechanism will prevent returndisplacement of the handles 116 and 120, by the engagement of thenotched rack 130 by the pawl 140, prior to the completion of a fullcrimping stroke. The relative displacement of the handle member 116relative to the handle member will continue until the shoulders 46 onthe die members 38 engage the plane stop surfaces 86 on the locatormember 68 to halt the advance thereof. At this time, the end of thenotched rack will have deformed the spring 160` and the cam surface 180on the skirt 172 of the trigger slide 170 will have rotatively displacedthe trigger plate 154 about the pin 156 a sufficient distance to resultin tripping displacement of the pawl assembly and concomitantdisengagement of ythe pawl from the notched rack 130. Upon pawldisengagement, the spring 160 throws the rack back along its path 3ftravel, assisting in the separation of the handles llo and l2@ andresetting the pawl assembly when said han- :lles approach theirseparated position. The above described handle separation results inreverse rotation of the cam surface containing portion ofthe operationmember 58 relative to the dieholder 10 and a permitted return of thecrimping dies 33, by the biasing springs 52, to their retracted positionwhich return ofthe crimping dies also assists in effecting handleseparation. Removal of the workpiece completes the operational cycle.

As will be apparent to those skilled in this art, the above describedstructure provides a novel self-contained crimping tool in whichselective utilization of one of a series of control locator members, inaccordance with the dictates of a particular workpiece, automaticallyinsures -proper workpiece positioning as well as proper crimp depth andnecessary automatic control of a full cycling mechanism to assure thecompletion of operations upon one workpiece before the initiation ofoperations upon another and, additionally, provides a tool that may beadapted to varied types of crimping operations upon varying types ofworkpieces, requiring only the selective utilization of a controllocator which may be readily designed and fabricated in accordance withthe dictates of a particular workpiece upon which a particular crimpingoperation is desired to be effected.

Having thus described my invention, l claim:

1. ln a tool for crimping a workpiece, a dieholder having an axiallydisposed bore, a carrier member secured to said dieholder, a pluralityof crimping dies mounted in said dieholder and displaceable radially ofthe axis of said bore, a shoulder on each of said dies disposedsubstantially perpendicular to the direction of displacement thereof andspaced a predetermined distance lfrom the workpiece engaging endsthereof, an operating member rotatably displaceable in one directionrelative to said dieholder and carrier member for advancing saidcrimping dies toward said bore, a control locator selectable inaccordance with the dictates of a workpiece insertable into said boreand shaped to properly position such workpiece relative to theconverging path of advance of said crimping dies, said control locatorincluding stop surfaces spaced a predetermined distance from the axis ofsaid bore to engage the shoulders on said dies and limit the convergingadvance thereof and concomitant rotative displacement of said operatingmember to limit the depth of crimp introduceable into sa-id workpiece, afull cycling mechanism disposed intermediate said operating and carriermembers for precluding return rotative displacement of said operatingmember subsequent to initiation of rotative displacement thereof in thedirection effecting crimping die advance, and trigger means set by saidcontrol locator and mounted on said operating member for deactivatingsaid full cycling mechanism in predetermined relation with thelimitation of crimping die advance to prevent undercrimping of saidworkpiece.

2. In a tool for crimping a workpiece, a dieholder having an axiallydisposed bore, a carrier member secured to said dieholder, a pluralityof crimping dies mounted in said dieholder and displaceable radially ofthe axis of said bore, an operating member rotatably displaceable in onedirection relative to said dieholder and carrier member for advancingsaid crimping dies toward said bore, a control locator selectable inaccordance with the dictates of a workpiece insertable into said borefor positioning such workpiece relative to the converging path ofadvance of said crimping dies, said control locator including means forlimiting the converging advance of said crimping dies and concomitantrotative displacement of said operating member relative to saiddieholder and carrier member to limit the depth of crimp introduceableinto such workpiece, a notched rack mounted on said operating member anddisplaceable in conjunction therewith, a pawl assembly mounted onsaidcarrier member normally biased into engagement with said notched rack topreclude return rotative displacement of said operating membersubsequent to initiation of rotative displacement thereof in thedirection effecting crimping die advance, a trigger assembly fordisengaging said pawl assembly from said notched rack including atrigger member mounted on said operating member and positioned by saidcontrol locator for actuating said trigger assembly in predeterminedrelation with the limitation of crimping die advance to prevent undercrimping of said workpiece.

3. ln a tool for crimping a workpiece, a dieholder having an axiallydisposed bore, a carrier member secured to said dieholder, a pluralityof crimping dies mounted in said dieholder and displaceable radially ofthe axis of said bore, an operating member rotatably displaceable in onedirection relative to said dieholder and carrier member for advancingsaid crimping dies toward said bore, a control locator selectable inaccordance with the dictates of a workpiece insertable into said borefor positioning such workpiece relative to the converging path ofadvance of said crimping dies, said control locator including means forlimiting the converging advance of said crimping dies and theconcomitant rotative displacement of said operating member relative tosaid dieholder and carrier member to limit the depth of crimpintroduceable into such workpiece, a notched rack mounted on saidoperating member advanceable in a predetermined path in response torotative displacement of said operating member in said one direction, apawl assembly pivotally mounted on said carrier member normally biasedinto engagement with said notched rack to preclude return displacementthereof subsequent to initiation of advance thereof by said one waydisplacement of said operating member, a trigger assembly including aplate member pivotally mounted on said carrier member for displacingsaid pawl assembly out of engagement with said notched rack and normallydisposed out of triggering engagement therewith, a slide memberdisplaceably mounted on said operating member and biased toward saiddieholder, a trigger mounted on said slide and positioned to pivotallydisplace said plate member into triggering engagement with said pawlassembly, a link member mounted on said slide and engaging said controllocator for positioning said slide and trigger relative to said platemember for actuating the latter in predetermined relation with thelimitation of crimping die advance.

4. In a tool for crimping a workpiece, a dieholder hav- ,ing an axiallydisposed control locator receiving bore, a

plurality of crimping dies mounted in said dieholder and displaceableradially of the axis of said bore, an operating member for advancingsaid dies toward said bore axis, control locator means selectable inaccordance with the dictates of a workpiece insertable in said bore forpositioning such workpiece relative to the converging path of advance ofsaid crimping dies, said control locator means including a controlsurface spaced a predetermined distance from the axis of said bore inaccordance with said dictates of the workpiece, means for precludingreturn displacement o-f said crimping dies subsequent to limitation ofconverging advance thereof, and trigger means mounted on said operatingmember and set by said control-surfaec for deactivating said returndisplacement precluding means in accordance with the spacing of saidcontrol surface from the axis of said bore.

5. In a tool for. crimping a workpiece, a dieholder having an axiallydisposed control locator receiving bore, a plurality of crimping diesmounted in said dieholder and displaceable radially of the axis of saidbore, an operating member for advancing said dies toward said bore axis,control locator means insertable in said bore for positioning aworkpiece relative to the converging path of advance of said crimpingdies, means for precluding return displacement of said crimping diessubsequent to initiation of converging advance thereof, and triggermeans mounted on said operating member and controlled by said controllocator means for deactivating said return displacement precluding meansto permit return displacement of said crimping dies after apredetermined advance thereof.

6. In a tool for crimping a workpiece, a dieholder having an axiallydisposed bore, a carrier member secured to said dieholder, a pluralityof crimping dies mounted in said dieholder and displaceable radially ofthe axis of said bore, an operating member rotatably displaceable in onedirection relative to said dieholder and carrier member for advancingsaid crimping dies toward said bore, a control locator selectable inaccordance with the dictates of a workpiece insel-table into said borefor positioning such workpiece relative to the converging path ofadvance of said crimping dies, said control locator including means forlimiting the converging advance of said crimping dies and theconcomitant rotative displacement of said operating member relative tosaid dieholder and carrier member to limit the depth of crimpintroduceable into such workpiece, and said locator including a controlsurface spaced a predetermined distance from the axis of said bore inaccordance with said dictates of the workpiece, means for precludingreturn rotative displacement of said operating member subsequent toinitiation of rotative displacement thereof in the direction effectingcrimping die advance and trigger means positioned on said operatingmember by said control surface for deactivating said return displacementprecluding means to permit return displacement of said crimping dies inaccordance with the dictates of the iocator.

7. In a crimping tool including l) dieholder means having a workpiecereceiving bore,

(2) dies shiftably mounted on said dieholder means for advancement andretraction toward and from the axis of said bore,

(3) actuating means for advancing and retracting said dies toward andfrom said axis,

(4) abutment means movably mounted on said dieholder means and connectedto said dies for controlling the movement of said dies,

(5) a removable control locator and means removably securing saidlocator to said tool in predetermined relation to said dieholder means,said control locator having (a) means sized for receiving andpositioning a workpiece therein in coaxial alignment with the axis ofsaid bore and in the path of movement of said dies, and

(b) an abutment surf-ace in predetermined spaced relation to the axis ofsaid bore and positioned to engage said movable abutment means and onsuch engagement terminate the advancing movement of said dies at theproper crimp depth for the given size of workpiece.

8. In a crimping tool including l) a carrier member,

(2) a dieholder mounted on said carrier member and having a workpiecereceiving aperture therein,

(3) die means mounted on said dieholder for closing and openingmovements toward and from the axis of said aperture,

(4) operating means for moving said die means toward and from said axis,

(5) means for precluding return displacement of said die meanssubsequent to the initiation of a closing movement of said die means,

(6) control means operatively interconnected to said operating means fora pre-setting movement relative thereto and for actuation thereby forrendering said return displacement precluding means ineffective toprevent opening of said die means, and

12 (7) a control locator detachably secured to said carrier member andhaving (a) means for receiving and positioning a workpiece in saidopening in coaxial alignment with the axis of said opening and in thepath of said die means, and (b) a control surface spaced a predetermineddistance from the axis of said opening and being engaged by andpre-setting said control means relative to said operating means in aposition to render said return displacement precluding means ineffectivewhen said die means has been moved by said operating means to a crimpingdepth predetermined by the spacing of said control surface from saidaxis.

9. In a crimping tool (l) a carrier member, v

(2) a dieholder mounted on the carrier member and having a workpiecereceiving opening therein,

(3) die means mounted on said dieholder for advancement and retractiontoward and from the axis of said opening,

(4) means including an operating member shftably mounted on said carriermember and operatively connected to said die means for advancing andretracting said die means,

(5) means operatively interconnecting said carrier member and said diemeans for precluding retraction of said die means subsequent to theinitiation of an advancing movement ot' said die means by said operatingmember,

( 6) a control locator detachably secured to the carrier member andhaving (a) a body portion sized to receive and position a workpiece insaid opening in coaxial alignment with the axis of said opening,

(b) an abutment surface in predetermined spaced relation to said axis ofthe opening, and

(c) a control surface spaced a predetermined distance from the axis ofsaid opening,

(7) stop means operatively connected to said die `means for movementtherewith into engagement with said abutment surface of the controllocator for terminating the advancing movement of said die means whensaid die means has been advanced to a crimping depth predetermined bythe spacing of said abutment surface from said axis, and

(8) control means pre-set by said control surface for renderingineffective the means for precluding retraction of said die means whensaid die means has been advanced to said predetermined crimping depth.

10. In a crimping tool (l) a dieholder having a workpiece receiving boretherein,

(2) a plurality of crimping dies mounted on said dieholder foradvancement and retraction toward and from the axis of said bore,

(3) an operating member for simultaneously advancing said crimping diestoward the axis of said bore,

(4) spring means for retracting said dies,

(5) a control locator and means detachably securing said locator to saidtool in predetermined relation to said dieholder, said control locatorhaving (a) means for receiving and positioning a workpiece therein incoaxial alignment with the axis of said bore,

(b) means for positioning the workpiece in a predetermined positionlongitudinally of the axis of said bore and in the path of said dies,and

(c) an abutment surface in predetermined spaced relation to the axis ofsaid bore and (6) at least one of said dies having an abutment surfaceengaging the abutment surface of said locator to prevent advancement ofsaid dies beyond a crimping depth predetermined by the spacing of theabutment surface of the locator from the axis of said bore.

2,435,562 Swengel Feb. 3, 1948 M Deusclile Apr. 12, Carlson Nov. 25,Kusiv et a1 Aug. 9, Dibner Mar. 6, Buchanan July 1G, Demler Dec. 1, WeedApr. 19,

FORETGN PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 18,

